A proficient government leader and distinguished academic, Her Excellency Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak is the UAE’s Minister of Climate Change and Environment, and Member of the UAE Cabinet.

Her Excellency Al Dahak leads the nation’s strategic initiatives to put in place the right services to protect and promote the country’s unique natural environment, accelerate climate action, grow the agriculture and fishing sectors, safeguard land and water ecosystems, enhance biodiversity, and ensure national food security.

Her Excellency Dr. Al Dahak will drive domestic efforts to deliver on the environmental outcomes of the historic UAE Consensus achieved at the UNFCCC’s 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) with a special focus on the transformation of environmental and food systems, outlined in the COP28 UAE Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems and Climate Action.

As Minister for Climate Change and Environment, she will also oversee and lead environmental initiatives in partnership with other governmental partners, the private sector, civil society, and the community to help achieve the UAE’s ambitious Net Zero 2050 Strategy.

Her pioneering leadership will include focusing on boosting the economic value of environmental programs and promoting research and development programs to enhance food, water, and environmental security to contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Prior to her appointment as Minister of Climate Change and Environment in 2024, Her Excellency Dr. Al Dahak was responsible for leading a wide range of strategic initiatives at the Ministry of Education as Assistant Undersecretary for the Care and Capacity Building Sector.

She played an instrumental role in the success of several strategic programs and initiatives that focused on identifying gifted students and ensuring student empowerment through capacity building programs.

Some of the strategic initiatives she led included the National Counselling and Wellbeing Framework, the National Science Technology and Innovation (NSTI) Festival, The Ambassadors Initiative, and the Inclusive Education Framework and Policies for students of Determination.  

At COP28, Her Excellency Dr. Al Dahak chaired the National Greening Education Committee and led the Green Education Hub under the theme, ‘Legacy from the Land of Zayed’ in partnership with UNESCO and UNICEF, marking a milestone in promoting climate education and building on the success of initiatives she led such as the Educators’ Voice and Net Zero Heros.

Her Excellency Dr. Al Dahak ’s prowess as a governmental leader was highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic, when she served as the UAE Government Spokesperson, presenting official national press briefings, moderating ministerial sessions, and representing the nation at international multilateral conferences.

Prior to this, Her Excellency Dr. Al Dahak served as the Director of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Department at the Ministry of Education, where she conceptualized, developed, and implemented a series of initiatives under the National Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy, underpinning her forward-thinking and visionary approach to leadership.

Her Excellency Dr. Al Dahak contributes her strategic thinking and innovative approach to delivering results as the chair of National Committees, including the National Committee for Greening Education, and the School Child Protection Council. Her leadership was instrumental in successfully hosting the International Junior Science Olympiad 2021 and the 34th International Biology Olympiad in 2023 in the UAE.

She is also a member of several national councils and committees such as the UAE Council for Climate Action, Emirates Food Security Council, and the Emirates Council for Environmental and Municipal Work.

Her Excellency Dr. Al Dahak has won several recognitions for her government leadership including as Best Assistant Under-Secretary Award in MOE Excellence Program in 2020, and UAE Pioneers Award for leading the "Voice of Tolerance" project in 2019.

With a distinguished academic track-record, Her Excellency Dr. Al Dahak holds a Ph.D. in Computer Engineering from Khalifa University and Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Computer Science from the University of Sharjah. She also holds a UAE Government Innovation Diploma from the Mohamed Bin Rashid Center of Government Innovation and Diplomatic Leadership Program at the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy.

Her Excellency Dr. Al Dahak is a former Lecturer and Faculty Member at the Department of Computer Science at the University of Sharjah. With a special interest in robotics, computational geometry, and artificial intelligence, she has nine referred conference papers and journals, and has participated in several global conferences.